Philosophers

To what extent did Heidegger's 'Being and Time' influence Sartre's ideas and works?

Comments

Good question. I think there is considerable influence: Heidegger's notions of contingency, authenticity, death, our "thrownness" into being, the importance of time or temporality in our identity, are all in play in Sartre's Being and Nothingness. In my view, there is something magisterial about both books (S's Being and Nothingness and H's Being and Time) and H's Being and Time has received the most attention, and yet Sartre's work contains more arguments to engage and colorful thought experiments (perhaps reflecting his novelistic ability) that invite engagement. I think it is also an interesting question to consider to what extent Simone de Beauvoir's (Sartre's partner) thought influenced Sartre. I suggest that her influence on Sartre has been quite underestimated. Good wishes in your further reading!

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